Amanda’s back arched into that heat, pushing her nipple deeper into that inferno of heat as Alex began to suckle and pull on it with his teeth.
This, Alex recognized with satisfaction, was what he had been wanting since he left Amanda earlier this morning. One of her ruby-red nipples in his mouth, the other being plucked by his fingers and squeezed in his palm, and all accompanied by Amanda’s breathy moans of pleasure as her fingers became entangled in his hair and she held him closer still.
Alex gorged himself on both those ripe berries, sucking, pulling, and biting them until they were grown to twice their normal size in his mouth and Amanda was groaning and writhing beneath him.
His cock was a needy throb in his pantaloons by the time he released the nipple from his mouth with a moist pop. He stared down as their plumpness, still hungry for the taste and feel of Amanda in his mouth and against his hands.
Amanda looked up at him with glittering eyes through half-closed lids, her cheeks flushed with arousal, her bottom lip a deep rose color from where she had been chewing on it in between those gasps and groans. “Do not stop,” she pleaded. “Please, Alex, do not stop touching me.”
Stopping was the last thing on his mind! “I believe your nipples to be warm enough now. Perhaps I should test the theory of your lips next?”
She drew in a husky breath. “I…think I should like that.”
Alex knew he would like it. Very much. Besides, he had not eaten any luncheon yet today, and eating Amanda’s cunny would be the perfect way to sate his hunger.
But first he intended to kiss the lips she had been chewing on in between gasps these past ten or fifteen minutes while Alex pleasured her nipples. It was a pity she was not with child, because then he could have sucked and drunk down the warm milk from her breasts—
Dear God…
He had never even thought of such a thing before now. But having thought of it, he could not get the image out of his mind of him lying across Amanda thighs while she fed him from her nipples, one at a time, until he had drained every last drop of that milky nectar from the fullness of her breasts. He could almost taste it on his lips and in his mouth—
“Alex?”
Alex gave himself a mental shake as he saw Amanda’s puzzled expression. “Just thinking of all the things I still wish to do to and with you,” he dismissed in a gruff voice, slightly shaken still by what he had been imagining. An image that caused his full and straining cock to pulse and release dribbles of pre-cum inside his pantaloons.
He reached down to roll and pinch the redness of her nipples, pulling on them until they were again elongated and full before lowering his head to claim her lips with his own.
She tasted of Amanda, sweet and sharp at the same time. Alex gorged himself on that taste even as he continued to pull and tweak her responsive nipples, the aroma of her arousal invading his senses until he felt drunk with euphoria and a desire to drink the cream he knew would be slicking her cunny lips.
He released Amanda’s mouth to sit back and begin slowly pushing the skirts of her gown up her legs. Slender calves, shapely knees, trembling thighs, her silky stockings held up by lacy garters, and then—
“Dear God!” Alex’s breath left his body in a whoosh as he stared down at what he had revealed.
The smooth bareness of Amanda’s cunny.
“Where are you drawers?” he choked out.
“I am not wearing any.”
“I can see that!”
Amanda’s cheeks warmed as Alex continued to stare at her bared pussy. “I had hoped… I wanted…” She broke off with a gasp as Alex parted her legs and one of his hands cupped the whole of her mound.
Her wet and sensitive pussy.
“Naughty girl,” Alex murmured with satisfaction. “Naughty, naughty girl.”
Amanda felt extremely so in that moment. And very aroused. Needing, wanting—
“Bend your knees,” he instructed softly. “Did you hope I would do this?” he encouraged huskily once she had done so, his fingers parting her folds to reveal her pussy lips and the swollen and pulsing clit above. “And this?” His fingers stroked lightly through the cream coating the entrance to her pussy, gathering up and then spreading that slickness upwards. “Did you want me to do this?” He rubbed his fingers over and around her erect clit.
“Yes!” Amanda groaned as the stroking of Alex’s fingers intensified the heat between her thighs and sent shards of pleasure straight to her core. “Please.” She slid farther down the couch, parting her legs as far as they would go to allow Alex greater access, only to draw her breath in sharply as he began to lower his head. “What are you doing?”
“Tasting you.”
Amanda felt the rasp of his tongue against her pussy lips.
“Now I am going to eat you.” His breath was a warm caress against that sensitive flesh.
Amanda arched her hips, fingers digging into the material of the couch as Alex’s mouth claimed her swollen pussy lips. She groaned her pleasure as his tongue entered her tightness and his fingers continued to stroke and press on her pulsing clit.
Pleasure shot straight to her core, hot and deep, uncontrollable, spiraling higher as his other hand returned to her breasts to pull on and squeeze her aroused nipples each in turn. She gasped as his fingers released her clit to move lower, coating his fingers with her cream before pressing against the sensitive flesh beneath her pussy and then caressing even farther back. Those slicked fingers pressed against her bottom hole before one of them slowly entered her there, stretching and thrusting inside before it was joined by a second finger.
It was too much, too overwhelmingly good, too everything, as pleasure burst inside Amanda, through her, over her, in a kaleidoscope of uncontainable ecstasy so intense, nothing else existed but Alex and the pleasure he gave her.
A release far beyond anything and everything she had ever known before.
Chapter 12
“Now tell me why you were so angry with me when I returned home,” Alex encouraged gruffly from where he lay back on the couch with Amanda in his arms. Her gown was now refastened and straightened, her head resting on his shoulder.
“I—I was being silly.”
“How so?”
“You said you wished to speak with me, and then, when I returned downstairs, I discovered you had left the house.”
Alex frowned. “I left instructions for you to be brought luncheon in your bedchamber.”
“So Buckham informed me. I am afraid I countermanded that instruction and ate downstairs in the dining room.”
“Why?”
“To spite you.” Amanda gave a self-derisive grimace as she lifted her head to look at him. “I felt as if you had discharged responsibility for me so that you could go out and be with your friends.”
The unpleasantness of Alex’s conversation with Maria Dalrimple meant he now knew the two of them had never been friends nor would they ever be in future. The anger Amanda had shown toward him on his return, when he had been acting in defense of her, was unacceptable.
It also reminded him of the conversation he needed to have with her. Something which had gone completely out of his mind the moment he began to make love to her.
How much angrier was she going to be once she knew of the arrangements he had made for her?
“Up,” he instructed as he removed his arms from around her.
She frowned. “I am sorry for being angry with you—”
“I said up, Amanda,” he repeated evenly. “I sincerely advise you do not test my patience any further today,” he added when she remained where she was. The fact she lay along the edge of the couch prevented Alex from getting up.
She arched one brow. “What is so special about today?”
He shot her a frustrated glare. “When you are such a trial to me every day?”
Amanda flinched. “I do not mean to be.”
Alex snorted. “Yes, you do.”
“I am simply being myself.”
�
��Exactly.”
Amanda sat up to swing her legs to the carpeted floor, allowing Alex the room to stand. “Why are you being so mean to me after—after—”
Alex knew exactly how he was behaving. But circumstances meant he had no choice in the matter. Not until he was assured Amanda was out of danger.
Because she was in danger, Alex now had no doubt of it.
Because of him.
His actions.
Past and present.
He knew he should not have made love to her just now. But the temptation to do so, when he knew he had to send her away and for God knows how long, had been too great for him to resist. “I have made arrangements for you to stay with Hawkwood and Emma—”
“No!” She rose to her feet, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. “Why?” she demanded before Alex could answer. “Is it because I am too forward and do not behave as a lady should?”
Alex did not enjoy seeing the hurt and tears in Amanda’s eyes. But neither could he tell her the truth. He had no doubt that Amanda was just stubborn enough to refuse to leave Wetherby House if he were to explain the situation to her fully. Far better that he hurt her now and hope to retrieve the situation once this mess was resolved than to allow her to remain here and put herself in further danger.
He hardened his heart to her hurt. “I believe what happened just now is proof of that, yes,” he answered with hard dismissal.
Amanda recoiled as if he had physically struck her. “But you—I—” She broke off with a shake of her head. “You instigated what happened.”
His mouth twisted. “I am as susceptible as the next man to a woman’s invitation to make love to her.”
“I made no such invitation!” she defended heatedly.
“Not verbally, no, but you make it with your eyes every time you look at me. Besides,” he continued in a hard voice, “you admitted yourself that you had left off your drawers today in the hope I would make love to you.”
Amanda’s face paled. “I do not… Did not… You had made the arrangements for me to leave here before just now happened.” She made no attempt to deny his accusation regarding her lack of drawers.
Alex clasped his hands tightly behind his back to stop himself from reaching out and taking her in his arms, hating having to hurt her in this way but knowing it was out of a need to protect her. “I cannot risk a repeat of Saturday evening or what happened just now.”
Her turquoise eyes appeared huge against the pallor of her cheeks. “Is that the reason you have been avoiding me since then?”
“Yes,” he stated abruptly. “I have never claimed to be a saint, and if we continue to behave as we have been doing, I am in danger of taking your virginity.”
Her lashes lowered. “Does… Do Hawkwood and Emma know the reason you are sending me to them?”
Alex shook his head. “I have simply told them I no longer consider it proper for you to remain within my bachelor household.”
“I am your ward.”
He nodded. “And you will continue to be so. But it no longer…suits my own lifestyle to have a young and unattached female living here. Moreover one, as you have already pointed out, who is not related to me. Hawkwood is sending his carriage for you at four o’clock today, I suggest you have your things packed and be ready to leave by then.”
Her chin rose. “I do not wish to be a burden to them as I…as I obviously have become to you. It would be better for all of us if I were to return to the school.”
“Miss Marchment is here in London, not the school,” he reminded.
“Then I will stay with Emma and Hawkwood and then return to Portsmouth with Miss Marchment when she is ready to leave.” She avoided meeting Alex’s gaze as she bowed her head and gave an abrupt curtsey before turning on her heel and leaving the room, her head held high.
At which time, Alex’s shoulders slumped, and he breathed out shakily after what had to have been the most difficult ten minutes of his life to date.
I have no choice in the matter if I am to protect Amanda, he reminded himself grimly.
His visit to Maria Dalrimple had not gone well, that lady at first refusing to receive him. It was only after he had written several words on the back of his calling card and told the butler to deliver it to her that Maria had grudgingly agreed to see him.
At which time, she had made it clear how much she despised him for having just threatened to tell her husband of their affair. It had been an empty threat Alex had no intention of carrying out, but one he knew was guaranteed to assure him an immediate audience with Maria.
An audience which had resulted in even more indignation on Maria’s part when Alex questioned her participation in the incident in the park involving Amanda this morning, and the illegal entering of his home the previous week after Alex had ended their affair.
Leaving him in no doubt whatsoever that Maria was not responsible for either of those things.
Alex, badly in need of a drink following that unpleasantness, had gone immediately to his club. The last person he had expected to see there had been Lord Malcolm Millbrook. The other man had returned to the country several weeks ago, accompanied by his wife, Juanita, the woman Alex had been involved with before Maria, and who had already tried to harm a member of his family after he ended their affair.
To learn that the other man was in London looking for his wife had alerted Alex to exactly who was now trying to harm Amanda. Apparently, Juanita was not in residence at Millbrook House, but she had been seen about London several times in the past week, which meant she was probably staying with one of her friends.
No wonder Emma had felt as if she knew the woman who had knocked Amanda into the fountain.
Alex had left his club to visit Hawkwood House and inform Adam and Emma of the situation. His brother, after previously eschewing the idea, had not hesitated to say that Amanda must come to them immediately. Alex too.
Alex had refused the latter, but he had every intention of ensuring Amanda was removed from harm’s way.
He deeply regretted having to hurt Amanda this way, especially after their intimacy just now, but Alex felt he had no choice.
He only hoped Amanda would forgive him.
Eventually.
“I shall never forgive Alex for sending me away!” Amanda stated emotionally as she paced restlessly up and down Emma Stirling’s private parlor at Hawkwood House.
Amanda had arrived several hours ago and been shown to her bedchamber by Emma before being left alone to unpack. The two ladies were now dressed for dinner.
“Amanda…”
“I did nothing to warrant such callous treatment from him!” Tears stung her eyes, tears she refused to shed over a man as coldhearted as she now knew Alex to be. A man who could make love to her one minute and then eject her from his home the next.
Proving that intimacy had not meant the same to Alex as it had to her.
Why should it, she tormented herself. Alex was an experienced gentleman about town and she merely an unwanted orphan who knew little of real lovemaking. What she did know of it was purely academic.
“Amanda—”
“I thought he liked me.” Her expression was pained.
“I am sure he does like you.”
“All evidence to the contrary,” Amanda denied heatedly. “He sent me away like a—like an unwanted child!” When minutes before that, he had been making love to her as if he considered her a grown woman!
I shall never forgive him.
Amanda’s mouth thinned. “He could not get me out of the house quickly enough and obviously has some new woman in his life that he wishes to bring back and fuck at Wetherby House.”
Emma gave a bark of laughter before quickly bringing her humor back under control. “Amanda,” she chided gently.
“It is the word he uses.”
Emma was obviously suppressing further laughter. “I am sure it is. It is only—”
“It is not ladylike to use such language,” Amanda finished heavily a
s she dropped into one of the armchairs. “How does one learn to behave as a lady should and still be true to oneself? Miss Marchment has always instilled in me that honesty is the best policy.”
“I am sure she never meant that honesty to be to the detriment of your reputation as a lady,” Emma suggested.
Amanda sighed deeply. “I am sure you are right. So what do I do now?”
The other woman smiled. “You remain with us until Alex has dealt with the situation—” She looked away. “We are only too pleased to have you here with the two of us,” she assured instead of finishing the previous sentence.
“Emma, what—”
“What was all the shouting about?”
Amanda turned to where the duke now stood in the doorway dressed for dinner, a frown marring his austere features. “I am afraid that was my fault, Your Grace.” She rose to her feet. “I was a little…put out with your brother for having foisted me on the two of you this way.”
Hawkwood crossed the room to kiss his wife on the cheek and sit beside her, his arm stretched across the back of the couch. “It cannot be ‘foisting’ when I was the one to suggest you come here.”
Amanda’s eyes widened. “You did?”
“I did.” The duke nodded.
The two brothers did look so very much alike, with their dark hair and saturnine good looks, it now made Amanda’s chest hurt to even look at Adam Stirling.
She hadn’t seen Alex again before leaving Wetherby House earlier today, the butler informing her that his lordship was in his study and not to be disturbed. Amanda had wanted to march in there and demand he say goodbye to her, at least. But had finally decided she did not need the further humiliation or Alex’s continuing coldness toward her.
But perhaps there was another reason for that than the one he had stated? “I believe Emma was about to tell me what urgent matter Alex is dealing with in my absence?” she prompted, eyes narrowed on the couple.
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